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No 6 (November) - How to Care for your Bridge.

We know that flossing is an important part of our daily oral hygiene routine. Flossing helps to prevent interdental decay, gum disease and maintain fresh breath. But how do we clean around a bridge?

Most bridges have at least one abutment (the part of the bridge that covers an existing tooth) and a pontic , the false tooth that sits in the middle. Some bridges are retained by an adhesive wing on the back of another tooth, and some are implant retained. Either way, the method for cleaning is the same.

It is important to clean between the teeth and beneath the pontic and there are two ways to do this.

Interdental brushes:

The brand we recommend is Tepe, these little brushes push between the teeth at the gum line and if small enough can sometimes pass beneath the pontic. Ask your dentist or dental hygienist to tell you which size you need.

Super floss.

This is the same as string floss, but has a firm pointed end and a spongy part. The pointed end passes through the space and then the spongy part of the super floss can be teased under the bridge pontic to allow plaque removal.

As with all dental cleaning, it is important to be gentle to prevent trauma to the tissues. Do however; ignore any bleeding as this usually a sign of inflammation caused by the presence of plaque. Once this method of cleaning is adopted into a regular routine bleeding will stop.

Please discuss and concerns or queries with your or dentist or hygienist.

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